Two mechanic friends jailed 4 years for stealing motorbike to support sick daughter

The Assin Fosu District Court on Thursday, October 31, 2024, sentenced two friends, Emmanuel Aidoo and Romeo Odei Martin, both 20 years old, to four years of hard labor in prison for stealing a motorbike in Assin Endwa in the Assin North District of the Central Region.

They both pleaded guilty to charges of theft and conspiracy.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Gilbert Abagna Anyongo told the court, presided over by His Worship Abdul Majid Iliasu, that the complainant, Dickson Dovor, a farmer residing in Assin Endwa, reported the theft. The convicts, Emmanuel Aidoo and Romeo Odei Martin, are motor mechanics from Cape Coast.

Chief Inspector Anyongo indicated that the complainant had parked his Suzuki motorbike, valued at Gh¢13,000, in his corridor on October 28, 2024, at about 7:30 pm. However, the next morning, he discovered the motorbike was missing.

A report was filed at the Assin Akonfudi police station, and an investigation was launched.

On the same day, the police received information that a Suzuki motorbike had been intercepted by police personnel led by Inspector Iddrisu Salifu at the Assin Anyinabrim police checkpoint.

Chief Inspector Anyongo further explained that the police, along with the complainant, promptly went to the Anyinabrim Police Station with the documents for the motorbike. Upon inspection, it was confirmed that the motorbike belonged to the complainant, Dovor.

The convicts, Emmanuel Aidoo and Romeo Odei Martin, along with the motorbike, were handed over to the Assin Akonfudi Police for further investigation after photographs were taken as evidence.

During interrogation, both convicts admitted to the offense in their respective caution statements and confessed to playing different roles in the theft, according to a report by GHOne News' Yaw Boagyan.

Emmanuel Aidoo disclosed that his daughter was sick and he lacked the funds to care for her. He said he noticed the motorbike in the complainant’s corridor during a visit to his grandmother at Assin Endwa on October 25.

He later returned to Cape Coast and discussed the matter with his friend Romeo Odei Martin, asking for help to steal the motorbike. They planned to use it for commercial "Okada" rides to generate income for his daughter’s care.

Chief Inspector Anyongo disclosed that after successfully stealing the motorbike, they disconnected and reconnected some cables to start it without the ignition key.

However, their plan was foiled when police intercepted the motorbike at the Assin Anyinabrim checkpoint on their way back to Cape Coast. Following investigations, they were charged with the offenses and brought before the court.

KA

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